Novelty basket



Oct. 23, 1951 M, KURHAN 2,572,631

NOVELTY BASKET Filed Sepb. ll, 194'! Magnifica Ifzmaaaaf,

by wm e' 25,@

u'vafazegys Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATE s PATENT or-Flca 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-8) This invention relates to baskets and pertains more particularly to an improved novelty basket of the party type.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive but serviceable and attractive basket especially suitable for advertising purposes and as a decorative favor at social functions, the basket serving as a handy container for dispensing nuts, candy and the like.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a basket capable of being manufactured from flat sheets of paper, cardboard or other suitable sheet material, the various pieces comprising the basket being shipped in their flat form to conserve space and,.when desired, readily transformed into an assembled basket by the purchaser or user.

Still other advantages of my invention will become more apparent by referring to the following description and accompanying drawing, showing a recommended embodiment of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled basket;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a frame part of the basket;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the receptacle part of the basket is formed by folding along the dotted lines; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of an auxiliary foot piece or base part of the basket.

The three separable parts of the improved basket'may be stamped, cut or molded from any suitable material, the selection of material depending upon the use for which the basket is intended. When the parts are cut from cardboard or other pliable material, it will be understood that they may be retained in their flat state during storage or shipment and ultimately assembled by the purchaser or user.

A preferred basket construction comprises three flat members; a receptacle blank |0, a frame I2 and a foot or base piece I4. The blank I is in the form of a round disc, but it will be understood that other contour variations are possible in order to produce a receptacle having a desired shape or size. As the illustrated embodiment is intended to be assembled by the purchaser, two pairs of spaced, intersecting fold lines I6 and I8 are disposed across one face of the disc I0. These fold lines may be suitably weakened by creasing, scoring or perforating the material along the designated lines. The center section 20 which is to eventually become the bottom of the receptacle is thus defined, and additional fold lines 22 are disposed radially inwardly from the periphery of the frame.

frame.

While many of the materials that might be selected for the receptacle I0 will possess su'icient inherent resiliency to maintain a relatively tight engagement between the vertices of the two recesses or notches 30 and the side portions 26, the invention contemplates the provision of a key 32 on the upper edge of the bottom portion 28. It will be noted that the key is slightly tapered, being larger at its point of juncture with the bottom portion 28, so that a keyway 34, provided in the bottom section 20 of the receptacle, may be forced downwardly into tight engagement with the key, the keyway being purposely made slightly smaller than the largest part of the key. Thus, it will be seen that the receptacle is held against any displacement or accidental dislodgement Without having to employ separate fastening means, a factor which is important in reducing the cost of manufacturing and assembling baskets of this type.

The foregoing description has been concerned mainly with a basket that is to be carried by the top handle portion 24 of the frame I2, but in many instances it will be desirable to have the `basket adapted for placement in an upright position upon a table. For that purpose, the auxiliary base piece I4 servesI as a transverse foot member in relation to the bottom portion 28 of the frame I2 to maintain the basket erect. The foot piece I4 is provided with a slot 38 and the bottom portion 28 of the frame is formed with a slot 40, so that the two sections may be fitted together at right angles with each other to form a supporting base.

The foot piece 36 is also provided with a key member l2, as the receptacle Ill is flrmly retained 2 the blank toward each corner of the bottom'2ll,1` the purpose of ywhich will presently be described The frame I2 is cut with an opening through', its centerthus forming the top, side and bottom ,l portions of the frame and which are respectively' indicated bythe reference numerals 24, 26 and."` 'The external contour of the frame may bel. of any desired shape to enhance the attractiveness of the assembled basket. By properly folding the disc I0 along the provided fold lines I6. and I8, the blank may be made to assume the Y. volumetric shape illustrated in Fig. 1 to t within Y, It will be observed that the radial" fold lines 22 allow the blank to be infolded along these lines, thus forming four recesses 3B, two of which serve as a means for retaining the receptacle I0 upright in theframe'when' the recesses are engaged by the spaced side portions 26 of the against angular displacement by the key 32, the key 42 will maintain the foot piece I4 in normal right-angled relationship with the bottom portion 28. In this way, although resilient sheet material, such as paper or cardboard, is used for all the parts comprising the basket, the basket is rendered sufficiently rigid by the intertting elements to serve as a holder or carrier for confecticns, without. dangerv of accidental displacement of its separable parts. However, vas previously indicated, additional rigidity may be obtained by employing stiffer materials in they manufacture of the several parts comprising the basket.

I claim: y

1. A basket comprising anupright frame member having an opening therethrough, an upright receptacle removably received in the opening of the frame, and a base member removably engaging the bottom. of the frame at right anglesl thereto, said parts `being formed of sheet, material, the receptacle having infoldedrecesses in its sides receiving the side portions of the frame, the receptacle having a keyway in its bottom and the bottom of the frame and said base member having complemental key members engaged said keyWaY- 2. A basket comprising an upright frame member having an opening therethrough, an upright receptacle removably received in the opening of the frame, and a base member removably engagingY the bottom of the frame, ,said parts being formed of sheet material, the receptacle having infolded recesses in its sides receiving the side portions of the frame, the receptacle having a keyway in its bottom and the bottom of the frame having a key memberI engaged in said keyway. the bottom of the frame having a slot extending downwardly into its key member and receiving the base member, and the base member having a bottom slot receiving said frame bottom.

3. A basket comprising an upright frame member having an opening therethrough, an upright receptacle removably received in the opening of the frame,A and a base member removably engaging the bottom of the frame, said parts being formed of sheet material,- the receptacle having infolded recesses in its sides receiving the side portions of the frame, the receptacle having a keyway in its bottom and the bottom of the frame having a. key member engaged in said keyway, the bottom of the frame having a slot extending vdownwardly into its key member and receiving the base member, and the base member having a bottom slot receiving said frame bottom, said base member also having a key member disposed at an angle to the key member of the frame, and

the keyway o'f the receptacle being shaped to receive both key members.

MAURICE KURHAN.

REFERENCES CITED Thev following references are of record in the le of this patent: 

